Wire-fence ratchet or tightener.



'No. mgao. Patented Nov. l8. I902. c. A. WILLMARTH.

WIRE FENCE BATCI'IET 0B TIGHTENER.

(Application filed Kay 16, 1902.)

(lo halal.)

WITNESSES.

thnrrnn States Patent fission,

CHARLES A. NILLMARTl-I, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO UNIVERSAL RATCHET 00., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

WlRE FENCE RATCHET OR TlGHTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,730, dated November18, 1902.

Application filed May 16, 1902. Serial No. 107,552. (No model) To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. WILL- MARTH, acitizen of the UnitedStatesofAmerica, residing at Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and Stateof Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in aW'ire-Fence Ratchet or Tightener, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to new and useful improvementsin ratchets fortightening the linewires of wire fences, and has for its object to makea ratchet or tightener which shall be reversible, cheap, simple, and notliable to get out of repair and in which there are no loose parts tobecome lost, a further object being to make a ratchet which may bestrung right on the line-wire and may be tightened from either side ofthe fence or used as a postratchet without alteration.

To this end the invention consists, essentially, of a spool formed withtrunnions and ratchet-teeth at its opposite ends, a yoke provided withopenings in which said trunnions are journaled, and a transversegravity-bar guided in oppositely-inclined slots in the opposite sides ofthe frame or yoke and coop crating with ratchet-teeth on the flanges of0 the spool to lock the spool from unwinding in any position; and itconsists, further, in the peculiar formation of the yoke, whereby theratchet-frame is strengthened and may be used either as a post orline-wire ratchet, and

5 consists, further, in the peculiar construction of the weightedgravity-dog and in the arrangement and combination of parts, all as morefully hereinafter described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved ratchet; Fig. 2, aplan view of the same as in use upon the line-wires of a fence;

Fig. 3, a horizontal section as strung upon a line-wire; Fig. 4, as inuse as a post-ratcl1et,

5 and Fig. 5 a modified construction.

a squared end 0 to form a Wrench-hold to turn the spool in tighteningthe line-wires of a fence.

D is a yoke or frame formed with openings D at its ends in which thetrunnions O C are journalcd, the frame being preferably bent up coldfrom bar-iron right over the trunnions, so that there are no parts toget lost.

(Z is an opening in the transverse portion (1 of the frame in line withthe opening a. in the spool, so that the ratchet can be strung rightupon a line-wire, thus not necessitating the cutting of the wire, and eare openings formed at or near the bends of the frame, through which awire may be passed to fasten the ratchet to a post, thus dispensing withthe use of nails or screws to fasten the ratchet to the post or theboring of a hole through the 7o posts, which all require special toolsand labor.

The transverse connecting member (1' of the yoke or frame is bentin wardto strengthen the frame, at the same time forming a seat for the'postwhere the ratchet is used as a postratchet, and the inwardly-curvedportion forms a bearing for the wire where two ends of a line-wire areto be connected by the ratchet, as shown in Fig. 5, thus preventing 8cthe cutting of the wire or the collapse of the frame under great strain.

E E are oppositely-inclined slots formed in the opposite sides of theyoke adjacent to the ratchet-teeth on the flanges of the spool, and F isa weighted bar or gravity-dog extending transversely of the frame withits opposite ends guided in said slots and cooperating with theratchet-teeth to lock the spool and prevent the same from unwinding whenin 0 use, one end of the dog and ratchet-teeth acting in one position ofthe parts and the opposite end in the other position, so that no matterwhich way it may be turned by the twisting of the wire it will always belocked. 5

more sensitive device is obtained and the dog is not in the way instringing the ratchet upon a wire by reason of its cut-out portion.

It is obvious that my device may be used as well for tighteningtelephone or other wires as well as the line-wires of a fence, and IWish it understood that these various other uses have been considered inthe construction of this device.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In awire-tightener,the combination with a yoke formed with apertures at theends forming bearings for the winding-spool, and a winding-spoolintegrally formed with trunnions adapted to engage the bearing-apentures of the yoke, one of said trunnions projecting beyond its bearingand adapted to receive a tool for rotating the spool,oppositely-disposed ratchet-teeth formed on the flanges of the spool onopposite sides and oppositely-inclined slots formed in the frame onopposite sides and a locking-bar guided in said slots and cooperatingwith the ratchetteeth to lock the spool in either position of the parts.

2. In a wire-tightener,the combination with a yoke or frame havingapertured ends and provided in its closed end with an aperture, a spoolhaving a transverse aperture, trunnions formed integral with the ends ofsaid spool and journaled in the apertures in the ends of said frame, oneof said trunnions extending beyond the side of the yoke and adapted toreceive a tool for rotating the spool, oppositely-disposed ratchet-teethformed in the flanges of said spool and oppositely-inclined slot-sformed in the sides of the frame adjacent to said teeth and a transversegravitybar guided in said slots and cooperating with said teeth to lockthe spool from unwinding.

3. In a wire-tightener,the combination with a yoke formed with aperturedends forming bearings, a winding-spool formed with trunnions journaledin said bearings, one of said trunnions projecting beyond its bearing toform a Wrench hold, oppositely disposed ratchet-teeth formed on theflanges of the spool, oppositely-inclined slots formed in the sides ofthe frame adjacent to the spool and a weighted gravity-dog guided at itsopposite ends in said slots free to turn and cooperating with theratchet-teeth to lock the spool.

4. In awire-tightener, the combination of a yoke formed with aperturedends forming bearings and provided in its closed end with an aperture, aWinding-spool having a transverse aperture in alinement with saidaperture and trunnions formed integral with said spool journaled in thebearing-apertures in the ends of the frame, one of said trunnionsprojecting beyond its bearing to form a wrenchhold, oppositely disposedratchet teeth formed on the flanges of the spool, andoppositely-inclined slots formed in the sides of the frame adjacent tosaid teeth and a weighted gravity-dog having a cut-out central portionand guided at its opposite ends in said slots free to turn andcooperating With the ratchetteeth of the spool one end at a time.

5. In a wire-tightener,the combination with a yoke formed with aperturedends forming bearings, a winding-spool formed with flanges at itsopposite ends and trunnions journaled in said bearings,oppositely-disposed ratchetteeth on said flanges, oppositely-inclinedslotsin the sides of the yoke and a gravity-dog guided in said slots andcooperating with said teeth.

6. The combination of a yoke bent up from a piece of sheet metal andhaving an inwardlybent base, Wire-passages in the sides of the yoke inproximity to the base and bearings formed in the open ends of the yoke,awinding-spool formed With oppositely-disposed ratchet-teeth andtrunnions at its opposite ends journaled in the bearings of the yoke,oppositely-inclined slots in the sides of the yoke and a gravity-dogguided at its opposite ends in said slots and cooperating with saidratchet-teeth.

7. The combination of the yoke integrally made in one piece of bentsheet metal having an upwardly-bent base and formed with bearings in theopen ends, a wire-passage in the base of the yoke, a second wire-passagein the side of the yoke at or near the base, a winding-spool formed withtrunnionsjournaled in the bearings of the yoke, one of said trunnionsprojecting beyond its bearings to form a wrench-hold, a wire-passage inthe axis of the spool, oppositely-disposed ratchet-teeth on the endflanges of the spool, oppositely-inclined slots in the sides of the yokeadjacent to the spool and a transverse gravity-dog guided in said slotsand adapted to engage said ratchet-teeth.

In testimony whereof I afflx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES A. WILLMARTH.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CARsoN, OTTO F. BARTHEL.

